I’ve been thinking about doing a Mandy 101.

There are so many people reading this now.  It’s intimidating.  (99 Subs!)  But I think I’m up to the task. 

First, I failed at my goal of responding to all of my comments.  Someone here pointed out that I responded to everyone as a group in a post, and she thought that was good enough.   I think that’s going to have to be, because there are more than 400 comments, with more coming in.  That doesn’t even begin to touch on the messages that I try to reply to as I get them.  (Theocafe, how do you do it?!)

I’m not going to get into too much detail… I just thought a little bit of background would be a good idea if people are going to understand where I’ve been, and where I’m going.

My name is Amanda, but I have gone by Mandy my entire life.  Amanda is sort of like a sweater that I like, but doesn’t really fit me.  I put it on for a little while, but eventually I take it off again because it chafes in some places.  I am twenty-three years old, and my birthday is Friday.  I’m the youngest of three, with two older brothers.  My childhood experience is one I would wish upon anyone.  We didn’t have lots of things;  we had lots of love, lots of fun, and lots of our parents’ time.

I grew up in Canada as a “usual girl.”  I have never been the popular type, and I started out as a rough tom-boy (which thankfully didn’t last!)  And while I’m the kind of girl that doesn’t make lots of friends easily, I make friends that last through just about all of it.  My best friend, Crystal, shared a crib with me when we were babies.  Even now, we fight… but we also laugh, and cry, and can’t live without each other. 

I was married at 19 to my ‘sweetheart’.  I moved to the states to be with him, and to go to school.  I’m going to pass quickly and easily over this part, because there isn’t much to say.  While I was finishing my last few months of school, (we were separated by a few hours drive) he told me that he didn’t want to be “married” anymore, because he had come to enjoy the single life.  I found out much later that he had actually found someone else.  We are now divorced.

I don’t say it quickly because it is still painful, or because I can’t stand to talk about it.  It is just sad.  Things went wrong, but I also believe we are pushed in directions that are painful to us because we need to grow.  I still love my -in laws very much.  Dee will always be one of my closest friends and always my sister.

I now live in North Carolina as an Ultrasound Tech with my boyfriend Brock.  We’ve been together just over eleven months, and will celebrate our first anniversary next month.  This is where it becomes difficult.  I have enjoyed happiness beyond anything I had ever known, joy beyond imagining, love without bounds since Brock and I found each other.  Why the lonely post then?  I miss my past.  I miss my mom.  I miss my dad, and my brothers, and my niece.  I miss Lianne, and my cousins.  I miss my grandma.  I miss Crystal and Daisy!  I even miss being picked on all of the time by ALL of them.  (I’m an easy target.)  At the end of the day, the love I have for Brock, and the life we are creating together is more than worth all of it.  And he as told me many times that he would gladly move back to Canada with me if that’s what I wanted.

Together, we have a puppy named Flint, a kitten named Wash, a house, two cars, two jobs, and lots of fun.  I read a quote in one of the comments from earlier that said, (paraphrased) “If you have days when you are blue, then by design, you should also have days that are the brightest of yellow.”   Brock is my bright yellow.  He’s my rock, my friend, my cinnamon swirl toast in the mornings.  He’s a wonderful man.

This needs to draw to a close.  I love to do Ballet, but haven’t found a studio in North Carolina.  I love to read books (David Eddings, Dave Duncan, Dennis L. McKeirnan, James Patterson, J.D Robb!)  I enjoy watching movies (Try Amelie if you’re up to it) and listening to music.  Maroon 5 has been my earbug lately.  I like to be active, Brock and I work out every day at 5am.  I love my job, my patients, my co-workers. 

And I love to write.  So here we are.

(I promise, I’m working on the narrative!)